


Persecuted

by imaginativemind29



Series: Whumptober 2020 [12]
Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Day 18, Panic, Paranoia, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27182371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginativemind29/pseuds/imaginativemind29
Summary: Hiccup works way into the night at the forge. On his way home he can't shake the feeling that someone is following him.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless
Series: Whumptober 2020 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947154
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Persecuted

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Whumptober Day 18: Panic! At the disco
> 
> Prompt used: Paranoia
> 
> Set during RTTE somewhere after the episode Midnight Scrum

Hiccup put Inferno down, squinting his eyes in the dim firelight as he looked up to the small window at the back of the forge. It was dark outside, probably way beyond midnight. He had not noticed the hours running by while he'd been working. Again.

Yawning, he decided it was time to call it a night and put out the fire before he left the forge. The starry night sky above him, Hiccup wrapped his arms tightly around his body as a chilly breeze had him shiver. 

He walked by the great hall, stepping on the path that led to his father's house when he was hit by a strange prickling feeling that had the little hairs at the back of his neck stand on end.

Someone was watching him. He could feel it. 

Hiccup spun around, scanning his surroundings for any sign that he was not alone, but found nothing. The streets were empty and dark, only broken by the occasional firelight coming from a window. Hiccup exhaled slowly through his nose and gave himself a little shake. This was silly. Why would somebody be watching him?

_They got you the last time you were alone in the streets._ His mind considerately offered and Hiccup cursed himself under his breath. As if he needed that reminder.

Besides that had been weeks ago and back then Viggo had placed a bounty on his head. There was no bounty now, no one had a reason to come for him and surely Viggo wouldn't try to get his hands on him like this a second time after the first backfired. 

Hiccup let out a deep breath, willing his heart to calm down as he told himself all this. His conscious mind agreed, but still an icy chill ran up his spine. He picked up speed as he continued up the path.

The sound of a snapping twig, somewhere behind him. 

Hiccup spun around, heart hammering. 

Still nothing.

What if someone was hiding? Lurking behind one of the bushes or in the shadows of a house?

Hiccup's breath came in small spurts, hot and nervous. He shouldn't have sent Toothless home earlier this night. Well he shouldn't have let himself get carried away by his work in the first place. Why did he never learn? _  
_

_Alright Hiccup, don't panic. You're almost at home, just keep going._

He told himself as he willed his legs to move. At his sides his fingers curled into sweaty fists, swinging forward as if it would make him faster. 

Suddenly there was another sound behind him. Footsteps. Heavy breathing. 

_Oh Thor._

They were coming for him. He wasn't safe. He was never safe. Viggo would never back down in this war. This wouldn't end until Viggo had him. He was going to get him. He was going to kill him - or do worse things to him and he couldn't escape. He could never escape. Viggo was everywhere. He filled his thoughts by day and haunted his dreams by night and now he was going to get him. 

Cold dread twisted his gut and before Hiccup knew it, he was falling into a sprint, running as if his life depended on it. And it did, didn't it? He was not going to let himself get knocked out in the streets of _his_ village a second time. To his horror the footsteps behind him took up speed as well. 

His vision blurred with tears. This wasn't fair. Berk was his home. He shouldn't be scared to walk the streets by night alone. It should be a place where he felt safe. But Viggo had taken that from him too. 

His chest ached as he ran up a small hill and finally his house came into view. A spark of hope flashed through him. He could make it, if his legs didn't give out now he could...

Something cold touched his hand and Hiccup nearly jumped out of his skin, letting out a panicked cry.

"No, don't touch me!" he screamed, despite himself and spun around, ready to fight with his bare hands if he had to - only to be met by wide green eyes of a very worried black dragon.

"Too- Toothless...?" he stammered and nearly collapsed onto his dragon as the relief that swept over him threatened to knock him over. Toothless crooned in concern, nudging his arm questioningly. 

"I'm fine," Hiccup whispered, tears running down his cheeks. He wanted to cry, he wanted to laugh, but he could do only one at a time it seemed. "I'm fine, bud. It was you the whole time?"

Toothless made an affirmative sound and now Hiccup did laugh, though it sounded more like mix between a sob and a hiccup. He stroked his best friend's dark scales under his chin and waited for his heartbeat to calm down again. Gods he felt so stupid. This whole Viggo issue was really getting to him. 

"Let's go home, bud," he said and smiled. He was glad to have his dragon at his side. As long as Toothless was nearby, he felt safe.


End file.
